Exercising apparatus.



PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

J. L. ROBERTS.

EXERCISING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIOH FILED APR. 12, 1904.

2 BHEETSSHEBT 1.

1H) MODEL.

-W172v155s155.- [NVENTOR MM. j? If CW No. 775.989. PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904. J. L. ROBERTS.

EXERGISING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIOH FILED APR.12, 1904.

N0 MODEL. v2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Altorneya UNITE STATES Patented November 29, 1904:.

PATENT Tries.

EXEROISING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,989, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed April 12, 1904.

To all 11/71/0771, it 'nuty concern:

Be it known that I, JAY L. Ronnn'rs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montpelier, in the county of Blaekford and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to exercising or athletic apparatus havii'igan elastic cord or the like to which handles are applied for the purpose of manipulation to give the desired movement, and is characterized par ticularly by improvements with respect to the means for fastening the cords to the handle and for coupling two or more cords together or to a clamp suitablefor engagementbetween a door and the casing thereof. In an apparatus of this kind it is desirable that it be made perfectly portable, so that it can be used in any place, and for this reason attachments, such as screw-eyes or hooks, are objectionable, as they cannot readily be carried around from place to place.

The novelty and improvementin the device will more readily appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device asapplied to a door. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the apparatus detached. Fig. 3 is an elevation showingits arrangement as a grip machine. Figs. 4., 5, and 6 are details in perspective of parts of the apparatus.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the elastic cords are indicated at (Z, and the handles, which may be applied thereto, comprise a grip-piece or roller 0 and a bail a. The latter is preferably made of sheet metal bent to proper form and having at the middle a hole At the ends the cords are secured to forked attaching-pieces 0, made of spring metal, and at the end of each fork is a head 0 of proper size to fit through the holes a when the forks are pressed together, which may be conveniently done by the thumb and ii nger.

To attach the device between the edge of a door and the casingda hook is provided, comprising a flat piece of metal a, having at one end a slot to and turned at the other end to substantially a right angle, as at a To couple Serial No. 202,731. (No model.)

the, cords together or to the hook (6., links are provided, comprising a piece of sheet metal 7), bent to substantially rectangular form and having in opposite sides thereof holes 7), similar to the holes a, to receive the heads 0 of the attaching-pieces. The slot (6 is of proper shape and size to receive one of the ends of the link 7), whereby the link may be hooked through the slot. In use in connection with a door the piece a. is inserted between the door and its casiltig at any place around the edge of the former and is gripped by closing the door. By means of the link one or more of the cords are then connected thereto, according to the kind of exercise desired. The heads 0 are of greater width than height, so that they may be readily inserted through the holes in the link or bail by being-turned laterally, and then when brought down or out st 'aight the forks spring apart and engage the heads without possibility of accidental disengagement. By the use of the link several of the cords may be coupled together, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 3 shows an adaptation for use as a gripmachine, each cord in this case being doubled and attached at both ends to a handle and the upper cord slipped into a link held by a hook at the top of the door, the lower cord being conveniently looped over the door-knob, the hooks r connecting and holding the handles in position.

Various other adaptations are permissible and will readily occur to those having occasion to use the a n aratns, ll'lGlLICliDg' especially the attachment of a handle at each end of one or more cords for those exercises in which the cords are strained between the hands or between a hand and a foot.

It will be seen that there are no hooks or screw-eyes requiring permanent attachment to any part of a building. The various parts may be readily connected or disconnected and are interchangeable to produce practically every arrangen'ient desirable or necessary for an apparatus of the kind.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an exercising ap 'iaratus, in combination, elastics having at both ends similar attaching devices, and separable coupling-links, and handles, engageable with any of said devices.

2. In an exercising apparatus, in combination, an elastic, an attaching member connected thereto having spring-forks with heads at the ends thereof, and a handle having a hole through which the heads may be inserted, for the purpose stated.

3. In an exercising apparatus, in combination, elastics having similar attaching members at the ends thereof, said members having spring-forks with heads thereon, and a coupling-link having holes through which the heads may be inserted when the forks are sprung together, for the purpose stated.

scribing Witnesses.

JAY LQROBERTS. Witnesses:

F. H. KIRK, C. A. ARNOLD. 

